The team visited local primary schools, convening water efficiency workshops to encourage younger children to make models of miniature water butts so that they might learn water-saving messages in a fun and memorable way.

The competition was designed to promote water-saving ideas and the academy beat schools from across Kent, Sussex and Hampshire to come top. The academy’s team held workshops for almost 700 pupils at schools and then spread the messages to more than 1,000 fellow students, asking all to pass on what they had learned to their families.

Students also promoted their project by sending press releases and made a model of the earth out of recycled water bottles.

The team won a holiday at the Lodge Hill Centre near Pulborough in West Sussex, where they will enjoy activities such as abseiling.

Their teacher Emily Koseoglu said: “I am really proud of the students. Since Christmas, they have devoted up to six hours a week, much of it their own time, to developing this project and have worked really hard. This is a wonderful result for us.”

Ajay Sharman, regional manager of Stemnet, which works with schools and businesses to inspire young people in science, technology, engineering and maths, said: “Southern Water has driven this unique competition for the past four years. It challenges students to invent new water efficiency methods and in doing so the company has captured the interest of the rest of the UK water industry which is now following suit and running Aqua Innovation competitions of their own.”

The competition was held at Fontwell Racecourse in West Sussex on July 9. Darren Bentham, Southern Water’s chief customer officer, said: “The students we see here represent the future of the water industry in this country. They will influence the ways we use water in the environment, in agriculture and many other spheres.”